JIAWKS AND FALCONS. 
121 
more confidence ; for, almost the moment it was inflicted, lie 
marched boldly up, and struck at the snake with his feet ; 
after which, finding it disabled, though not quite dead, he 
rose almost perpendicularly to a very great height, when he 
let it drop, and as it fell with great violence to the ground, 
he seemed satisfied that there was no more danger to be 
feared, and accordingly he followed it to the earth, and com- 
menced his hardly-earned meal. 
Vultures are chiefly natives of the hotter regions of the 
globe, such as South America, Africa, and other similar warm 
climates. Some sorts are, however, not uncommon in the 
southern parts of Europe ; and even in England, a few have 
been seen and killed. In June, 1826, near Bridgewater, in 
Somersetshire, a strange unknown bird was observed walking 
on a road, which, on being pursued, flew about a mile towards 
the sea, and alighted on the beach, where it was shot. It 
had just been gorging itself with a putrid lamb, which was 
most likely the cause of its allowing itself to he approached 
within gunshot. On opening it for the purpose of stuffing, 
the smell was excessively offensive. Another bird, apparently 
of the same species, was seen near the place where this was 
killed, hut evaded pursuit. It was of the smallest kind, 
measuring only, from the tip of the beak to the end of the 
tail, two feet three inches ; and from the tip of one wing to 
the tip of the other, five feet six inches and a half ; whereas 
the great Condor of South America is sometimes found to 
measure nearly twelve feet from tip to tip of the wings, when 
spread out. 
We next come to the Hawk tribe, which includes a great 
variety of species of different sizes, from the largest, not 
much less than an Eagle, to the smallest, not much larger 
than a Blackbird. They differ, too, very greatly in disposition; 
some, like the Eagles, being all fire, spirit, and courage, 
while others are dull and cowardly, and, compared with the 
first mentioned, are what Vultures are to Eagles. The 
chief distinguishing marks between the really called Falcons 
and Hawks and true Eagles, are in the form and shape 
of the beak, and length of the outer feathers in the wing. 
